


Event Horizon

by Jeredu



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Bad Future, Bad end, Dragons, Illustrated, M/M, spoilers for tales of zestiria kinda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-09
Updated: 2016-09-03
Packaged: 2018-04-30 18:13:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5174144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeredu/pseuds/Jeredu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one thing that could never happen, of course, was the one thing they were witnessing in that very moment.  It was beyond unthinkable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It should never have happened. 

 

Mikleo honestly didn't recall what had occurred in the moments before, or after.   His entire world had narrowed down to a single blur of white and blue and red.   He was dimly aware of screaming, of Zaveid reaching for his shoulder, of Edna opening the earth up to swallow the remaining sniper.   They'd known about the fear and resentment, but they hadn't anticipated  _this_.  

Lailah's healing artes could do nothing for the three crossbow bolts that had transfixed Sorey's torso, pinning him down like an insect.   One of them lanced cleanly through his heart.  Mikleo threw down his staff, falling to his knees, cradling Sorey's head and putting a trembling hand to one of the bolts that stood from Sorey's chest.  

Sorey made a pained sound, distressingly soft.  Mikleo moved his hand to Sorey's cheek instead, channeling every iota of healing power he had.  His thumb brushed over Sorey's cheekbone, his fingers curled against what should have been a pulse.

Sorey opened his mouth, a confused question, worry in his eyes. 

 

Mikleo waited for the question to come, his breath caught in his throat.  

 

It never came. 

 

Two hearts stopped in that moment of silence, only for one of them to resume beating, alone.  

 

Mikleo felt a growing surge of panic closing like a vise around his chest. 

 

"Sorey," he finally choked.  "Don't  _do_ this to me now, you idiot!  Wha-- What were you... gonna ask?" He couldn't see through the tears burning in his eyes, fumbling for a pulse. He must just not be feeling in the right spot.  There simply was  _no way_ this was happening.  His hands tightened to fists against Sorey's shoulders, against the blood stains that had stopped spreading, his teeth gritted against the sudden surge of rage. 

He wanted kill the men who'd done this, but Edna had actually beaten him to the punch.  Lailah hadn't even had the heart to reprimand her.   Lailah.  

"Can't one of you  _heal him_?" He cried out, pleading, only to be met with equally helpless expressions.  Zaveid was giving Mikleo a worried look.  

Lailah reached tentatively for his shoulder.  "Mikleo, I'm sor-"

 

He jerked away.  "DON'T TOUCH ME!"  

 

Rose sounded lost.  "What.... What do we do now?" She was shaking like a leaf in the wind. 

 

Zaveid looked grave.  "We need to get out of here.  One of them escaped.  They might bring back reinforcements."  Rose was still alive, and Rose needed to be protected.  If Sorey was dead, she was probably the best hope they had.  

Lailah regarded Mikleo with infinite sadness.  "Mikleo, we need to move somewhere safe.  We can bring-"

 

"I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH HIM," Mikleo snarled, his shadow deepening ominously.  The emptiness was clawing him raw and bloody inside.   And without the pure vessel Sorey provided to keep him safe, there was no barrier to keep himself from being swallowed whole. 

 

He choked out a strangled cry, a raw scream of anguish as a cloud of darkness and despair erupted from his body.  Where Mikleo had lain now crouched a livid dragon, the scream warped into a bestial roar. 

 

It was over in a matter of seconds.   The flash of scales, white like pure snow, and teeth as long as knives was enough to send the rest of the group staggering back in horror.  Zaveid alone stood his ground, stepping between the dragon and Rose, shielding her as frost began to creep along the ground.  He raised an arm protectively in front of Rose.

 

Mikleo saw the movement and roared, ice spearing upward from the ground around him.

 

One claw curled protectively around the pathetic body on the forest floor, he huddled over Sorey's limp form, a violent guardian forbidding any approach.  

 

Zaveid felt his shoulders sink with the heavy weight of defeat.  He'd hoped to never face this situation again, as long as he lived.   But now was not the time for solving this. 

 

"Run!" He snapped, picking up Rose in a swift movement, whirling around once he saw Edna and Lailah stagger to their feet.  "GO! NOW!"

 

They ran.  The bereaved roars echoing through the trees beneath the mountains would haunt all of their dreams to the ends of their days. 

 

* * *

 

 

Zaveid returned a week later, expecting to find a crazed, mourning dragon curled around a sad pile of bones.  What he'd instead found, of all things, was a seraph in luminous white, whispering assurances against the muzzle of a softly rumbling white beast.   He'd  _known_ this could happen.  He just hadn't expected it.  Neither of them had seen him, and he decided that, for now, he would keep it that way.  He let the wind carry the voice to his ears, his heart aching.

" _I’m here. **I’m here**. I’m sorry I left you alone.  I… didn’t mean to die.   **I’m sorry, Mikleo**.  I’m here now. I’m not going to leave you again_."

Zaveid turned away.  He'd come back later.  He had no right to intrude upon this.   What right did any of them have, when they had failed the both of those boys so utterly?  Mikleo seemed to at least, in some fashion, recognize the seraph boy.  It would have to be enough, for now, to let them make some semblance of peace.  He couldn't bring himself to do what was necessary.  Not now.  Maybe someday.  

 

 


	2. Even Eternity Is Not Too Long

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (illustrated!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Because of the sudden surge of attention this story was getting and the great swathe of aching hearts littering the proverbial ground here, I offer an addendum, an epilogue, an alternative with which to somewhat ease the pain. Though, this isn't actually the same setting as the prior chapter, though Sorey is a seraph and Mikleo is a dragon)
> 
> Endgame spoilers.

* * *

 

 

"I'm not going to leave you," Sorey murmured, his presence acting as an anchor to ground Mikleo.   Though pale skin had become harshly glinting scales and the soft smile had given way to the jagged maw, his companion was still undoubtedly Mikleo.  

Mikleo.

 

Mikleo,  _Mikleo_.  

 

While Sorey lacked Lailah's pure flames, he was willing to sacrifice much, if it was for Mikleo.

 

Flames had never been enough, anyway, to heal a dragon.  Sorey remembered that much, and clung to that knowledge when it came to him.  His life before was like a dream, disjointed, vague and hard to recall at first. He found that by concentrating on specific moments, they became firmer and more real.  

Mikleo, though, he remembered with aching clarity. 

Mikleo, who had waited centuries.  There was no question why-  

 

It was Sorey for whom he waited. 

 

And now, Sorey would wait for Mikleo. 

 

"I can't leave you. Never again.  If I go too far, you start to forget who you are," he whispered and was met with an affirmative rumble. 

 

It had taken them weeks to slowly return to Camlann, to the crater, circumnavigating to avoid every populated place.  Sorey almost felt guilty for the way he'd enjoyed the wind whipping by beneath Mikleo's wings, but he knew better than to follow that feeling any further.   He didn't need to wallow in guilt- he needed to be a pillar for Mikleo...

 

Much like the literal pillar he had become for Maotelus.  If he could purify Maotelus and all his domain, then he could do that much for Mikleo.  

 

Even if it took a sleep of centuries more, they would be spent  _together._

 

He'd entrusted that knowledge to his other three Seraphim companions and then disappeared back into the forest among flickering shadows and a flash of white scales. 

 

But here, between the jaws of the earth that had weathered soft and green with the centuries, they were safe.  Here, Sorey could pour his entire being into this single task. 

For Mikleo, even eternity itself was not too long.  

 

He settled himself within the curled and upturned claws without fear, reaching up gently to the gleaming alabaster jaw. 

 

"Sleep, Mikleo.  It'll be better when we wake, I promise."

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Whoops. I'm glad this doesn't actually happen. Art by me.


End file.
